Evolve Me
Evolve Me (stylized as Evolve Me), is an puzzle-platfom game currently in development as part of Concept Swap Day. This game follows the development of an experimental life form named Genome; while he dies very easily, he will gain a new power upon respawning that will prevent him from dying to the same hazard. Unlike in other platform games, the player is required to die at least once in most levels in order to gain these evolutions. While each evolution gives him new abilities and moves, they can also remove skills he possessed in his base form, as well as prevent him from gaining a related evolution. For this reason, it is essential to plan when and where each death occurs in order to achieve the level's objectives. Premise Evolve Me takes place in a laboratory where experiments in genetics are taking place. One of these is Project Genome, a project to create a new life form capable of evolving when exposed to new threats. The project was only partly successful - while Genome can react to new threats, the process doesn't occur quickly enough to avoid dying. In addition, Genome lacks the intelligence to effectively use any of its potential. After considering scrapping the project, the scientists instead decide to develop it further. By implanting a chip into Genome's mind, they are able to track its brain patterns leading right up to it's death - they can use this to reproduce a clone of Genome with the new evolution it was attempting to create. With this new direction, the team prepares to test both Genome's mind and body in a series of experiments, in hopes of using the results of each to create his prefect form. Gameplay Overview The primary goal of each level is to guide Genome to the cyro-pod at the end, where its body will be preserved and its mental processes stored for future use. However, since almost every level requires Genome to die at least once, there are a few additional metrics by which its final score is measured: #Genome must reach the end of the level. #It must do so at or beneath the predicted death count. #At the same time, it must finish the level with the required physical upgrades. #If possible, it must also acquire a bonus nutrient pellet (I.E. food), and move it to the goal. It will be dropped if Genome dies, but can be picked back up if it lands on a safe place. #It must do all the above as quickly as possible. Based on its results in these five areas, Genome will be assigned a final score ranging from 0.0 to 1.0. In order to advance to the segment test (or boss fight), his aggregate score for the previous levels must be high enough. Upgrades Every time Genome dies, it will respawn with an upgrade specific to his cause of death. Many of these evolutions are interrelated, and having a combination can allow new skills to be accessed, or prevent some from being used. Each "set" of upgrades have unique interactions with each set member and some other sets. Obstacles Enemies Hazards *'Type: Melee Damage' **''Blades'' - Cut Genome on contact. Activates Armor 1. **''Spikes'' - Impales Genome on contact. Activates Armor 2. **''Presses'' - Crushes Genome if it is between them and a hard surface. Activates Armor 3. *'Type: Temperature Damage' **''Warm Biomes'' - Kills Genome through dehydration if overexposed. Activates Heat Form 1. Some enemies give off heat auras with the same effect. **''Cool Biomes'' - Kills Genome through hypothermia if overexposed. Activates Cold Form 1. Some enemies give off cold auras with the same effect. **''Fire'' - Causes Genome to burn, inflicting a self-sustaining warm biome that kills it if the flames are not extinguished. Activates Heat Form 1, or upgrades 1 to Heat Form 2. **''Ice'' - Fire - Saps Genome's body heat, inflicting a self-sustaining cool biome that kills it if the ice is not removed. Activates Cold Form 1, or upgrades 1 to Cold Form 2. **''Magma'' - Incinerates Genome on contact; if Heat Form 1 is active, has the same effect as warm biomes. Activates Heat Form 1, or upgrades 1 to Heat Form 2. **''Liquid Nitrogen'' - Freezes Genome solid on contact; if Cold Form 1 is active, has the same effect as cool biomes. Activates Cold Form 1, or upgrades 1 to Cold Form 2. *'Type: Atmospheric Damage' **''Water'' - Genome can swim freely in water, but cannot breathe in it. Suffocates Genome if it doesn't surface in time. Activates Seanome. Removes the effects of Fire or Ice hazards. **''Poison Gas'' - Genome can survive in toxic environments temporarily, but will die through extended exposure. Activates Toxinome. **''Radiation'' - Genome can survive in irradiated environments temporarily, but will die through extended exposure. Activates Radiome. **''Toxic Water'' - Has the combined effects of Poison Gas and Water. Kills Genome rapidly in base or Radiome form, and slowly in Seanome and Toxinome forms. Activates Seanome; if Seanome is already learned, activates Toxinome. **''Heavy Water'' - Has the combined effects of Radiation and Water. Kills Genome rapidly in base or Toxinome form, and slowly in Seanome and Radiome forms. Activates Seanome; if Seanome is already learned, activates Radiome. *'Type: Fall Damage' **''Bottomless Pits'' - Instantly kills Genome when entered. Activates Claw Modifier first, and the Wing Modifier second. *'Type: Energy Damage' **''Lasers'' - Incinerates Genome on contact. Activates the Laser-Proof Endoskeleton. **''Electricity'' - Electrocutes Genome on contact. Activates the Spark-Proof Endoskeleton. *'Type: Fatal Damage' **''Atom Beam'' - Disintegrates Genome instantly on contact, and prevents any respawns. Clone Eggs will still be activated upon death. **''Parasite'' - Saps Genome's health over time. If not removed, it over Genome's body, and prevents any respawns. Clone Eggs will still be activated upon death, but will be hunted down by the Parasitic Genome. **''Self-Destruct'' - Attempting to leave the boundaries of a stage will cause Genome to explode, forcing a respawn. Self-destructing 3 times will kill Genome permanently, leading to an automatic failure. Bosses In this game, bosses are fought in phases. Generally, each phase will require striking a particular body part of a massive enemy using Genome's evolved skills. Bosses will switch to the next phase when said part is severely injured, but not destroyed - attacking that part again without dying to destroy it will grant a score bonus. Gallery EVOLVE ME logo.png|The Evolve Me Logo Genome.png|Genome, the game's protagonist GenomeExo.png|Genome, as drawn by Exotoro